The Salad
by GeneaLady
Summary: How could a salad cause such trouble for Lucy? Thankfully, Ricky comes to make everything better. Pre-series fic.


**Author's Note: This fic is dedicated to 4luv4evr428 who encouraged me to keep writing when I wanted to give up. **

**This fic was written as an entry for the word challenge on the Facebook group "FanFiction .net Writers Unite!"****. (I had to put an extra space so it didn't get deleted.) The word for this week was "breakfast".**

******The only character I own is Mr. Abbott. Ricky, Lucy, Marco, and Marion are all owned by CBS (********Although, what's the point? All the original actors are dead so the show would never be the same if they brought it back anyway.)**, with Marco and Marion also belonging to their families. ******The character of Josephine is borrowed with gratitude from 4luv4evr428. Although in my ILL world, Ricky hires her much earlier than in her fic Ricky's Story and the fight over her has already occurred and been resolved.**

* * *

Lucy lay sprawled on her bathroom floor in her night gown. As another wave of nausea hit her, she bolted up and hung her head over the toilet without a moment to spare, vomiting for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon. She and Marion had gone out for lunch and something had obviously been terribly wrong with the Chicken Caesar Salad that she had ordered and she very quickly regretted not ordering the Cuban sandwich that Marion had, even though they thought it was terribly cliché. The only thing that made her feel worse was knowing that she wasn't going to make Ricky's performance that evening. This would be the first she missed since they began seeing each other 7 weeks ago. She'd even snuck into the club the night she and Ricky had fought about Josephine to watch the show, unnoticed, from the doorway, unable to be apart from him even in her anger.

Deciding she didn't want to delay the inevitable, she crawled to her room, only standing to flop on the bed. Taking a few moments to calm her spinning head, she reached for the phone and dialed the number of the Tropicana that she'd committed to memory weeks ago.

"Hello Tropicana," the waiter replied.

"I'd like to speak with Mr. Ricardo please," Lucy said weakly as she willed her stomach to not revolt at the action of her speaking.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, he had to run an errand," he regretfully informed her.

Lucy's heart sunk and her eyes swam with tears. As much as she didn't want to tell Ricky that she wouldn't be there this evening, she desperately wanted to hear his voice. Well, she really wanted... needed... to be in his arms, but she'd settle for hearing his voice. Not even able to do that made her feel only worse.

Composing herself, she gulped before finally speaking, "This is Lucy, could you please tell Ricky that I won't be there tonight? I've come down with food poisoning."

"I'll inform him as soon as he returns, Ms. McGillicuddy," he assured her. "I hope you feel better."

"Thank you," she whispered before hanging up.

Taking a deep breath, she began her long journey back to the bathroom where she promptly vomited once again.

* * *

A half hour later, down at the Tropicana, Ricky returned from his errand. No sooner than he entered the ballroom, the head waiter called to him, "Ricky, you have a message!"

"What is it?" he asked the man.

"Lucy called. She won't be here this evening. She's home with food poisoning," he informed Ricky.

Ricky's face fell and his heart broke for his beloved. It was bad enough that she was so ill, but he hated the fact that he couldn't be there to take care of her. He was tempted to cancel rehearsal, but the boys needed the practice, not to mention he knew Lucy would only scold him and feel guilty for "making" him drop everything. "Thanks for lettin' me know," he thanked the man, "I'm gunna call her."

In two rings, a woman at Lucy's apartment answered, "Hello."

"Marion, it's Ricky. I jus' got word Lucy called while I was out. How is she?" he anxiously asked.

"Oh, Ricky, it's awful. I've never seen anyone so sick. There must have been something wrong with the dressing and the chicken. There's no way just one of them could be making her this sick. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was voiding the dinner you made her last week." she told him.

Ricky's heart sunk further. "Marion, do ya think I could come over after the show?" he asked. "That way, if she's still sick, I can sit with her an' ya can get some sleep."

Marion smiled, thankful her friend had such a wonderful man in her life, "I think she'd like that Ricky. There's a key under the door mat. Just let yourself in."

"Gracias Marion. Tell Lucy I hope she feels better," Ricky said.

"I will. See you later," Marion replied before hanging up.

* * *

As Ricky's performance went on, Ricky was thankful Mr. Abbott was on vacation. He was definitely off his game tonight. He was too distracted in his thoughts of Lucy and every time he looked at the empty front table where she'd sat every night for the past 7 weeks, his eyes nearly swam with tears. As he ended "Babalu," he just wanted to get out of there.

Ricky was just leaving his dressing room where he'd dropped off his drum when Marco stopped him, clearly concerned. "Hey, Jefe. Is something wrong? You just didn't seem into it tonight. Come to think of it... Lucy wasn't here tonight. Are you guys ok? You guys didn't run into Josephine somewhere, did you?"

Ricky smiled at his friend, "Yeah everythin's fine, or at least it will be. Lucy an' I are fine... We din't run inta Josephine... Gracias a Dios! She's jus' home with food poisionin'. I'm gunna go over an' check on her now."

Marco nodded, "Well, I'll let you get outta here then. Tell her we missed her tonight and hope she feels better soon."

Ricky nodded his thanks and jogged toward the door.

* * *

Once out of the club, Ricky couldn't get to Lucy's fast enough. Finally arriving to her apartment, he found the key that Marion said would be waiting for him. Opening the door, he quietly slipped in, not wanting to wake Marion, and felt for the light switch that illuminated the hallway that led to the bathrooom and the bedrooms. "Lucy?" he called softly as he walked toward the bathroom where he saw the light on, not wanting to wake her if she'd fallen asleep knowing how exhausted she must be from being sick for the past 12 hours.

Seeing the light in the hallway and hearing footsteps that were heavier than Marion's, Lucy gasped, "Ricky! What are you doing here? You scared the dickens out of me!"

Ricky stooped down next to her on the bathroom floor and kissed her pale cheek, "I'm sorry, honey. I jus' wanted ta see ya. I was worried 'bout ya. How are you feelin'?"

Hearing her love's voice, she relaxed and happily slumped against him when he stooped down, feeling better just from seeing him. "Better," she replied happliy, but still weak. "I think I've finally stopped vomiting, but I'm so weak I can't stand to get in bed and laying on the floor is killing my back."

Ricky smiled softly at her and kissed her forehead. "Well, let's get you in bed. You'll be much more comfortable an' hopefully ya can get some sleep," he spoke softly as he lifted her in his strong arms and carried her to her bedroom, Lucy immediately curling into his embrace, causing Ricky to smile into her hair as he kissed the top of her head.

Ricky laid her gently on her bed and she slid under the covers that he lovingly tucked around her. "I'm gunna go crash on the couch. Jus' call if ya need anythin'. I love you," he whispered, kissing her forehead again.

Before he could turn to leave; however, she grabbed his hand and pleaded with him in a small voice, "Stay. Please?"

Knowing that she just wanted the comfort of him next to her, he nodded before undressing to his short sleeved undershirt and boxers, preserving some modesty since they weren't even engaged yet. Gathering her in his arms, he guided her head to rest on his chest as she sighed peacefully, relishing the feeling of her body curled up against him. As he breathed in the faint aroma of the perfume she must have put on before going to lunch, he sang her a Spanish lullaby while softly massaging her tender back muscles and made sure she was asleep before drifting off himself, thinking that he couldn't wait to fall asleep next to her every night.

* * *

Ricky woke early the next morning, smiling as he had to pry himself from Lucy's grip before he slipped quietly out of bed so he didn't disturb her, as she was thankfully still sound asleep. Noticing Marion wasn't home, he showered in Lucy's bathroom and redressed in the dress shirt and pants from the night before. Once dressed, he headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Lucy.

A half hour later, Ricky walked back into Lucy's bedroom and found her still asleep. Taking a moment to admire her beauty, he caressed her cheek, which now had more color, before kissing her gently on the lips to wake her.

Feeling his lips on hers, Lucy stirred and hummed softly in the pleasure of the sensation, but did not waken.

"Lucy, baby, time ta wake up," he encouraged her softly.

Hearing his voice, Lucy's eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him. Ricky's heart leapt as he took in the sight of her waking and thought to himself that she was even more beautiful first thing in the morning than she was all dolled up for a night at the club. How much more beautiful would she be waking up without wearing her night gown once they were married...? This thought made Ricky's heart beat like a conga drum.

"Morning," she spoke in a still sleep induced tone that Ricky found very sexy.

Shaking off his thoughts and coming back to reality, Ricky smiled back at her, "Mornin'. I have breakfast for ya. Do you think ya can eat?"

Lucy looked down to see a tray with a veggie omelette and a glass of water. In a separate glass was a rose from the bush out front.

"Oh Ricky!" she exclaimed. "You shouldn't have!"

Ricky just kissed her gently on the lips.

As Lucy began to eat, Ricky got back in bed beside her. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he kissed and nuzzled her cheek.

"Better. I slept really well last night," she smiled impishly so Ricky clearly got the message as to just why she'd slept so well, but she chose not to elaborate on the subject. "Just tired. I'm going to stay in bed today, but I'll be at the club tonight."

Hearing that she was feeling better, and that sleeping next to him was part of that reason, he smiled as he leaned in and claimed her lips in another kiss.

"Thank you for coming and taking care of me," she whispered when the kiss broke.

Ricky stroked her cheek and whispered, "Anythin' for you."

Once Lucy had finished eating, Ricky stood. "I better get goin'," he reluctantly said.

"Do you have to?" she pouted.

Ricky chuckled softly, not finding her pout childish in the least, but instead loving that she enjoyed being with him so much that she didn't want him to leave. "Yeah, I do," he regretfully acknowledged. "but I'll see ya tonight."

"Ok, I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he replied as he kissed her softly and tucked her back in.

As he grabbed his tie and jacket and quietly headed out, Lucy drifted of to sleep wondering how she got lucky enough to have a man like Ricky in her life.


End file.
